Around thirty professionals from various Health Areas across the islands gathered at the Gran Canaria Primary Care Management to participate in the training activity ‘Pediatric Clinical Ultrasound in Primary Care’. The initiative, spanning three days, includes theoretical content and practical workshops with ultrasound equipment.
Antonia María Pérez, the Director General of Healthcare Programs of the SCS, highlighted during the opening the commitment of the Canary health system to integrating ultrasound into Primary Care. The goal is to increase the problem-solving capacity of health centers, enabling them to offer more solutions to patients within their local facility and equip professionals with better tools for clinical decision-making.
Pérez recalled the investment made in console and portable ultrasound devices and emphasized the importance of training for their proper use. "Equipment only gains true value when we have professionals prepared to use it adequately," she stated. The training program has already qualified hundreds of doctors in various ultrasound areas.
Clinical ultrasound, as a complement to physical examination, helps reduce diagnostic uncertainty, provide early guidance, and resolve certain conditions without the need for referrals. For pediatric patients, this non-invasive and accessible technique offers valuable information and can prevent unnecessary tests or travel.
The practical workshops are scheduled for the afternoons to allow volunteer children to act as sonographic models. Topics covered will include abdominal, renal, pulmonary, cervical, cutaneous, echocardioscopy, and musculoskeletal ultrasound, as well as the FAST Protocol and pediatric pelvic ultrasound.
This marks the third edition of the training, previously held in Gran Canaria in 2024 and Tenerife in 2025. The General Directorate of Healthcare Programs is planning further editions to extend knowledge of these techniques and ultrasound management in pediatric care to professionals on all islands.
The initiative is part of the Strategy for the Implementation of Clinical Ultrasound in Primary Care of the Canary Islands, named ‘ECOap’. This project aims to generalize the use of this diagnostic tool in health centers, local clinics, and out-of-hospital emergency services, thereby improving initial assessments and facilitating more appropriate referrals.
The SCS has invested 7,038,715 euros between 2023 and 2025 in acquiring ultrasound devices for Primary Care, as part of the +AP strategy, which advocates for more effective, accessible, and person-centered primary care.
